Base metal catalysts for the oxidation of carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds

Abstract

A method for oxidizing carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCS) comprises contacting a gas containing water vapor and said CO and VOCs with a catalyst composition comprising at least one base metal promoter and at least one base metal catalyst supported on an oxide support material comprising one or more of alumina, silica, zirconia, ceria, and titania, wherein the VOCs comprise one or more of methyl acetate, methane, methyl bromide, benzene, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, butane, and butene.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method for removing methyl bromide from a waste stream, the method comprising:
 contacting the waste stream with a catalyst composition consisting of manganese oxide and copper oxide impregnated onto an oxide support material consisting of lanthanum (La) stabilized Al2O3 and zirconium-stabilized ceria mixed oxide, 
 wherein during manufacture of the catalyst manganese is impregnated onto the oxide support material from an aqueous solution comprising manganese nitrate or manganese acetate and copper is impregnated onto the oxide support material from an aqueous solution comprising copper nitrate or copper acetate; 
 
       such that the methyl bromide is oxidized by contact with the catalyst composition. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said waste stream further comprises one or more of methyl acetate, methane, benzene, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, butane, and butene. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said waste stream further comprises methyl acetate, methane, and benzene. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said waste stream further comprises methyl ethyl ketone. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said waste stream further comprises butane. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein Ce and Zr are present in said oxide support material in a 1:1 mole ratio. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxide support material consists of 20 mole % La-stabilized Al 2 O 3  and 80 mole % Zr-stabilized CeO 2 . 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxide support material also functions as a binder. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , where the catalyst composition is supported on a substantially inert substrate material, wherein the substrate is a flow-through monolith. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the waste stream is a tail gas from a purified terephthalic acid production process. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the waste stream further contains CO and the CO is also oxidized. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of the methyl acetate, methane, benzene, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, butane, and butene is oxidized. 
     
     
       13. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the waste stream comprises water vapor in an amount of 1.5 mole percent to 5 mole percent.